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Unread 29-07-2014, 17:48
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Tristan Lall Tristan Lall is offline
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FRC #0188 (Woburn Robotics)
 
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Re: Pneumatic Restrictions & Improvments

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz View Post
Tristan,
While discussed, ad nauseum, in other fori let me copy it again here from paragraph 2 & 3 of Section 4, Robot Rules...
The rules listed below explicitly address what and how parts and materials may be used on a 2014 FRC
ROBOT. There are many reasons for the structure of the rules, including safety, reliability, parity, creation of
a reasonable design challenge, adherence to professional standards, impact on the competition, compatibility
with the Kit of Parts (the collection of items listed on any Kit of Parts Checklist, has been distributed via FIRST®
Choice, or obtained via a Product Donation Voucher (PDV), KOP), etc. When reading these rules, please use
technical common sense (engineering thinking) rather than “lawyering” the interpretation and splitting hairs
over the precise wording in an attempt to find loopholes. Try to understand the reasoning behind a rule.
In addition, another intent of these rules is to have all energy sources and active actuation systems on the
ROBOT (e.g. batteries, compressors, motors, servos, cylinders, and their controllers) drawn from a
well-defined set of options.
This is to ensure that all Teams have access to the same actuation resources,
and to ensure that the Inspectors are able to accurately assess the legality of a given part.
That statement concerns the rules collectively, and I am of course aware of it. But absent clear evidence, it is illogical to believe that just because some rules are specifically intended to limit the energy sources and actuation options, that all rules are intended to limit those things, or that such intent is the primary motivation behind a particular rule.

To the greatest extent practicable, teams and officials should not be forced to speculate about the reasons for a particular constraint, as is clearly being done in this discussion. FIRST can easily make use of the blue boxes, or communicate through other channels, to alleviate that uncertainty.